The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-08-09
GREAT PRAIRIE FIXES.
OVER $4,000 sQUAsE NILES OF
PARCHkD FARMS.
Leaves Fall Frsm the Trees aad
the Grass Grows Yellow :.
and White.

CHIcAao, ILL.,, August ga local
paper, summing up the many reports
received by II Of droutb, prairie fires,
ruined crops, ETC., says this morning:
There Is an area Of perhaps $4,000
square miles In the Northwest where
the dust hss heavily upon the earth.
The district 10 bounded by Madison on
the north, Bloomington on the south,
Lake Michigan on the east and the
Mississippi river on the west. II IL
within the limits Of these bound aries
that vegetation has lost Its normal
color aud the earth its moisture. D4y
after day the sun sends Its burning
rays upon the psrshed farms and
fields. Lsaves are falling from the
trees, the grass in the meadows has
grown yellow and white, and the
streams in which the cattle used 20
slake their thirst are as dry as powder
horns, 1t has been nearly ten weeks
since q soaking rain fell ia this dis
trict. The big bull thIetle, the pest Of
nearly every farm, has at last .uc-
cumbed to the fate Of all Other vege.
tslion. The big weed Rrst wilted,
then turned black. and finally fell
upon the earth. With not enough
moisture In the ground to feed q this
tie, the condition Of corn aud the ten.
der grass in the meadows may be i'm
agined. In SJuihern " iscon,in there
are thou, ands OF acres where corn
t s's' n acre. ''s'f The cr ps'f b TO
been scorched and almost totally
destroyed. The leaves Of the cereal
are yellow and brittle and droop al.
most TO the ground. The loss OF the
corn crop, serious as II IL, will not i'm.
poverlsh the farmers. They have lived
In the country since the land was d ret
u led, and have, for the most part,
laid by enough money 10 carry them
tn ough q winner. Bat there are other
dangers TO be confronted. Wells have
run dry, and In some towns water
fsmines are imminent. TIE drinking
water at baud Is often polluted and
filed with poisonous germs. Typhoid
lever Is becoming mora prevalent, and
dysintery aud otner stomsch disturb
ances are 20 common In some pisces
40 to be almost epidemic. Unless rain
falls before many days the snffering
will be- greatly augmented. The 10
tense heat has been q terrific strain
upon man, but its effect upon cattle
has been simply appalling. Without
pa,tursge to browse upon or pools In
which 70 stand during the hot hours
oil the day, the po,r beasts have be
come 30 emaciated as TO be wholly 40.
marketable. The IA msrs In the dairy
districts have IN soms instances been
compelled 10 feed and water their
cows from their own lardsr. Ia other
places foreet trees have been
felle1 and dragged TO the ps.tures sod
the cat lie turned looss to browse upon
the leaves. Hundreds OF COWS are
being killed and shipped TO market
for mere pittsuce. At Winslow, H.,
one farmer bought ten head Of cattle
last January at $50 per head When
he offered 10 sell ths entire herd Last
week for $40 he could not 6ud pur
chaser. Farm re IN this district have
already turned their caltls loose TO
feed upon the crops. la SINE places
fences have been run through corn
fields aud the starving cattle permitted
TO feed upon the leaves and stalks.
When these have been eaten the
fences are ,x'snded until the entire
fields have been eaten clean. Added
20 all the mieeries attending the great
drouth Ia the constant fear OF mr. O.
The tall z ass Of the praries l. dead
the fields are n ady TO burst into n ,me,
aud leaves lie In heaps IN the iorse,s,
A spafk starts fre, and tbs blister
ing SAhara.liks wind fans the 4 me
into q CT n igration. AlTesdy the
land encompsered by the boundaries
has been blackened by Wild 6res. In
some towns the people are often cal ed
out three or four times day 10 fight
the flames. ID structivs hfes have
been raging for many DAYS ia Keno
sha, Racine and Wslworth couniisr, In
Wisconsin. Thousands of acres have
been swept by ths flames, and
the loss TO farmers In hay, gain, fenc
ing and buildings 10 very great. Above
Madison the boys are burning dsrceiy,
aud the puDgrnt smoke hspg, over
the county Tor mites arouud. Toe
Northern Illinois Are are 30 rumsrout
that the farm.rs have plow.d the
ground about their buildings In order
10 cheek the spread OF tue flames
should the dr. u b remain unbr0ken
much longer incalculable rum will be-
wrought by thsse free, which tphpI
up In uneKpected places and la the
most mysterious m ,nner la some
parts Of the district the drought Ia 9
terrible that bu ternuls aud walnut
have fallen from The trees. Potatoes
when taken from their beds Of aste ,
look like crab apples. Tney are
wrinkle1 aud sponsy and uuht iol
food. There Ia alao great scarcity o.